2023 Best Schools in Van Buren County

• Mattawan Consolidated School, MI•

• 6-8

• •
  Rating 5 out of 5  2 reviews

Freshman: All of the staff are very caring and willing to help if there's ever any sort of problem. The core classes offered are mostly fun, though it would be nice if they had a few more options for advanced students in subjects other than math. The Encore classes are all very fun and there are a lot of different ones to choose from, which was really nice. The school itself is pretty nice, the eighth grade wing has been recently updated, so that was by far the best year. The rest of the school, while not as new, is still really nice.... Read 2 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 826

• Student-teacher ratio 18:1

• Mattawan Consolidated School, MI•

• 3-5

• •
  Rating 1 out of 5  1 review

• grade A minus

• Students 755

• Student-teacher ratio 18:1

• Mattawan Consolidated School, MI•

• 7-12

• •
  Rating 3.84 out of 5  327 reviews

Senior: Mattawan high school gave me the best experience I could have imagined. Mattawan became a home to me that I didn’t realize until I was graduating. Mattawan was a comfort to me all of the teachers supported me and helped me along the way. The support system at Mattawan is one of the best. While others felt stuck in a small town I felt like I was thriving. I loved Mattawan high school, and I gained the best experiences imaginable. Of course, there were some ups and downs along the way, but Mattawan high schools staff did their absolute best to make this school thrive. I will forever be grateful for the experiences that Mattawan high school offered me. Overall, Mattawan is one of the best schools around, and I can say that without a doubt. You can feel the love from all the staff and they all genuinely care for you and want what’s best for each and every student. Now everyone has a different experience with school and at Mattawan, but I will forever be grateful for my time there.... Read 327 reviews

• grade B+

• Students 1,163

• Student-teacher ratio 22:1

• South Haven Public Schools, MI•

• PK, K-3

• grade B

• Students 297

• Student-teacher ratio 14:1

• South Haven Public Schools, MI•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.4 out of 5  92 reviews

Senior: Overall, attending South Haven High School was a great experience. All of the teachers are very supportive and genuinely care about the students. Despite being a small school and district, the administration and faculty do everything they can to make sure that the students who want to be challenged have that opportunity. The school also has an overall great atmosphere. There is so much pride for our teams and clubs it is amazing to see all of it. Not one group, sport, or club is placed higher than the other. South Haven is a great school district and I would not have wanted to go to school anywhere else!... Read 92 reviews

• grade B

• Students 553

• Student-teacher ratio 19:1

• Gobles Public School District, MI•

• PK, K-5

• grade B

• Students 276

• Student-teacher ratio 15:1

• Lawton Community School District, MI•

• 8-12

• •
  Rating 3.23 out of 5  26 reviews

Senior: Lawton High School is the ideal small town school. From morning math class to Friday night football, the people of Lawton are close-knit and personable. The staff at LHS is unmatched. Held to high standards, teachers and administrators work diligently to ensure that students are reaching their full potential and thriving during their high school years. Extra curriculars, such as sports and the arts, are well-funded when necessary, due to the hard work of the members of the community. The only area in which it can be improved upon is diversity. Multiculturalism is a vital aspect of life, and should be highly encouraged in adolescence. However, located in rural southwest Michigan, there isn't much diversity as it is. While Lawton may not have the most ethnic diversity, there are numerous elements that positively counterbalance that. Overall, the small-scale community's support for the school and the well-being of its students truly makes Lawton High School a great place to learn.... Read 26 reviews

• grade B

• Students 301

• Student-teacher ratio 20:1

• Lawrence Public Schools, MI•

• 7-12

• •
  Rating 3.36 out of 5  42 reviews

Senior: I enjoyed my time at Lawrence Jr/Sr High School because the school population is very small, so everyone knows each other and there wasn’t very much drama. I graduated with a total of 49 people in the senior class, and we were the biggest class. Most of the staff are great and the only thing I would change are the locked bathrooms.... Read 42 reviews

• grade B minus

• Students 255

• Student-teacher ratio 17:1

• Paw Paw Public School District, MI•

• 8-12

• •
  Rating 3.71 out of 5  187 reviews

Alum: I loved the emphasis on extracurricular activities here, during my time there a new track and a new performing arts center were installed. Students had great coaches and support with sports, so Paw Paw teams always succeeded! Paw Paw was a smaller school, so I got to know my classmate and teachers. Unfortunately, this smaller size limited the number of classes offered to me. The school did a great job combating this for higher achieving students offering honors English and history, advanced math, early college programs and a county wide technology center. There is something for everyone at Paw Paw High School!... Read 187 reviews

• grade B minus

• Students 860

• Student-teacher ratio 22:1

• Lawton Community School District, MI•

• PK, K-5

• •
  Rating 5 out of 5  1 review

Parent: I feel they have had great training with all the things in the news, i feel my children are safe when attending school. The teachers are great with the kids who need extra help and have patience with those that have behavior issues. The community is also a great place to raise a family. Small town so everyone looks out for each other. I went to lawton and graduated and now my kids are doing the same. The school has improved on everything ..education, sports and meals for students.... Read 1 review

• grade B minus

• Students 424

• Student-teacher ratio 15:1

• South Haven Public Schools, MI•

• PK, K-3

• grade B minus

• Students 209

• Student-teacher ratio 13:1

• Lawton Community School District, MI•

• 6-8

• grade B minus

• Students 221

• Student-teacher ratio 17:1

• Paw Paw Public School District, MI•

• 6-8

• •
  Rating 5 out of 5  1 review

Freshman: The teachers at Paw Paw Middle School are great because they care about their student's success and some were entertaining so it made it enjoyable. I liked that it was a smaller School . I felt like I was fully prepared for High School 👍. Every Student gets a Chomebook which is nice . I would like to see bells all day like at the High School so teachers can let students out to get to their next class on time .Some of the other students can be mean sometimes , so there is a little bit of a bullying problem , but overall I liked Paw Paw Middle School , and Paw Paw High School is even better!... Read 1 review

• grade B minus

• Students 328

• Student-teacher ratio 16:1

• Paw Paw Public School District, MI•

• 3-5

• •
  Rating 3 out of 5  2 reviews

• grade B minus

• Students 428

• Student-teacher ratio 16:1

• Decatur Public Schools, MI•

• 6-12

• •
  Rating 3.45 out of 5  42 reviews

Alum: I grew up in Decatur and attended DPS my entire career. Teachers are great but administration in Middle/High school is poor. Teachers are very hard working and willing to go the extra step if needed. It is one extreme to the next with administration. Either super strict or they don't care at all. Discipline is mostly nonexistent. Teachers get little support from administration.... Read 42 reviews

• grade B minus

• Students 380

• Student-teacher ratio 20:1

• Decatur Public Schools, MI•

• K-5

• grade B minus

• Students 335

• Student-teacher ratio 17:1

• Bloomingdale Public School District, MI•

• 6-12

• •
  Rating 3.84 out of 5  37 reviews

Senior: In my four years at Bloomingdale, I can say that I never once felt excluded. No matter where I turned, there was always a group of people waiting to take me in. I used to think it was just due to Bloomingdale being a small town, but neighboring small schools didn't have the same bond that many of my peers, and even teachers, had. If the school suffers from anything, it's just that the school doesn't have as many resources as it deserves, but that is usually what happens to schools in small towns with high poverty rates. I wouldn't say the past four years have been easy for me by any means, but I think being surrounded by the people I have met there made these years much more bearable.... Read 37 reviews

• grade C+

• Students 606

• Student-teacher ratio 18:1

• Gobles Public School District, MI•

• 6-12

• •
  Rating 3.7 out of 5  61 reviews

Junior: Gobles is a close knit community that supports each other in sports and academics. The students get along and the staff is helpful in every way they can. The only improvements needed are related to the funding the school receives due to the lack of local businesses.... Read 61 reviews

• grade C+

• Students 296

• Student-teacher ratio 17:1

• Bangor Public Schools, MI•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.37 out of 5  19 reviews

Alum: Since I've graduated my school has gone through a lot of drama and sadness, they've lost a lot of teachers and been in the news for some unfortunate events. When I went to school there I loved it. I knew all of my teachers and felt comfortable enough to talk to them about anything and it was somewhere I loved being. It seems like since then it has changed.... Read 19 reviews

• grade C+

• Students 276

• Student-teacher ratio 18:1

• Hartford Public Schools, MI•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.43 out of 5  58 reviews

Senior: My school is really small. There isn't that many classes to choose from, such at classes that have to so with science. On the other hand we do have a bunch of extracurricular like student council, Spanish and chest club. We also have a bunch of sports such as soccer, football, softball, baseball, cheer, wrestling, and weight lifting.... Read 58 reviews

• grade C+

• Students 363

• Student-teacher ratio 19:1

• Lawrence Public Schools, MI•

• PK, K-6

• grade C+

• Students 215

• Student-teacher ratio 12:1

• Bloomingdale Public School District, MI•

• K-5

• •
  Rating 4 out of 5  2 reviews

• grade C

• Students 300

• Student-teacher ratio 18:1

• Covert Public Schools, MI•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.19 out of 5  26 reviews

High School Senior: I have enjoyed my time enrolled at Covert Public Schools. I enjoyed working at concession stands during school games, helping out with any school functions and doing anything I can to help my school.... Read 26 reviews

• grade C

• Students 108

• Student-teacher ratio 18:1

• Bangor Public Schools, MI•

• PK, K-4

• grade C

• Students 339

• Student-teacher ratio 12:1

• Covert Public Schools, MI•

• PK, K-5

• grade C

• Students 173

• Student-teacher ratio 19:1